Whilst it is plausible that Lodoral® can help with fatigue, as many doctors have reported, this is hardly an argument to justify its use since iodine has long been known to cause stimulant like side effects early on in its toxicity. It is certainly possible to hear patients claim positive benefits from a treatment, and a clinician may not see side effects even with a high number of observations. Statistically, one could prescribe lovastatin to 6490 patients prior to seeing a single case of hepatocellular damage. Yet we take it as a given that liver damage is a risk patients face when taking statin drugs and we factor such risk into the risk/benefit assessment prior to prescribing. The risks with mega-dose iodine are quite clear. The benefits are vague and nebulous at best and there is no evidence to support putting a patient at risk for life-long thyroid disease or possibly lethal thyroid storm for the poorly substantiated possible benefits claimed by its proponents.
Relevance of Iodine to the Integrative Physician
In the context of discussions on diet and micronutrient intake, physicians should counsel patients on optimal iodine intake. Since iodine is readily absorbed, human iodine requirements are not variable and its status is predictable based on intake. Iodine assessment is not a useful part of medical screening due to its poor reliability. Since nearly all Americans consume sodium well in excess of 2500 mg daily and since processed foods are made with non-iodized salt, patients should be advised to minimize their salt intake from restaurant foods and pre-made groceries. Instead, their prime sodium intake should be from home cooked foods made with conservative use of iodized table salt or iodized sea salt. Along with iodized salt, consuming a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, sea foods and grains can provide a basal amount of iodine. Additionally, pregnant and lactating women should be advised to consume a multivitamin containing 50-100 μg of iodine daily.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Alan Christianson was a member of the first graduating class of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (Tempe, AZ USA). A specialist in thyroid disorders, Dr. Christianson is the author of the “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease” and wrote the chapters on Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism for the 9th edition of the “Textbook of Natural Medicine.”
Chapter 7
Assessment of Biological Aging & Treatment of Metabolic Inflammatory Diseases
Nick Delgado Ph.D., CHT
Director, Ultimate Medical Research; Founder, The Delgado Protocol
ABSTRACT
This paper reviews various treatments and interventional therapies that modulate the mitochondria metabolic breakdown or inflammation and the clinical protocols known to stimulate repair, stem cells release and cellular oxygenation and regeneration.
INTRODUCTION
Today,